When faced with greatness, we often imagine our most-admired icons to be superhuman with glamorous lives far removed from ours. It takes a conversation with a mensch like Itzhak Perlman — arguably one of the best musicians in the world — to jettison stereotypes of the intimidating classical purist. The Israeli-born violinist may be passionately dedicated to his music and outreach, but he’s fairly low key offstage and joyful in his performances. He laughs, cuts up with students and even has a Facebook page (managed by his son) that offers corny memes like “Think outside the Bachs.”
“I believe in being light and nurturing,” Perlman said during a recent phone conversation with CL. “I don’t like anyone to be afraid of me. It’s not good to hit people over the head with anything. You accomplish more with kindness, softness and with being constructive. … Laughter and humor are important — especially when you play music.”
Perlman will kill Sarasota not only with kindness but his skillful strokes when he performs with former students of the nearby Perlman Music Program — a branch of a training center founded by wife Toby and Suki Sandler — on Wed., Nov. 6, at the Van Wezel. The concert will include chamber music in an informal format that both classical music lovers and newbies can enjoy.
“Of the two pieces, one of them is going to be by Mozart — one of the jewels of the crown of the chamber music repertoire — just an amazing group of pieces," Perlman said with enthusiasm, “and I’m going to do a Brahms piano quartet; shall we say, it’s a hit. Both are pieces I grew up with, playing always for fun. … I’m really very, very excited. It’s like a carte blanche; I get to perform pieces that I choose and perform with players I enjoy playing with. That gives me great pleasure.”
Born in Tel Aviv in 1945, Perlman told his parents he wanted to play violin at age 3 after hearing a classical concert on the radio. He contracted polio at age 4, a young enough age that allowed him to adapt to using crutches early on and didn’t scar him in any way. He credits his parents for nurturing his violin mastery from day one.
Perlman completed his initial training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and gained attention here in the U.S. on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. After that, he studied at Juilliard with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay, he won the Leventritt Competition in 1964, and performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the world. Perlman was granted a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003, has performed multiple times at the White House, most recently in 2012 at the invitation of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama, for Israeli President and Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree Shimon Peres.
Perlman’s violin style has a touching, plaintive beauty, and his love of Klezmer informs his playing with a stirring, soulful bravado that’s always distinguished his sound.
The 2013-14 season takes him once again on a worldwide tour, which he admits has its rough moments but is always exciting and rewarding. He’ll be conducting orchestras in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, and will be returning on Feb. 1 to headline the Straz’s Morsani Hall.
“I visit [central Florida] so often I don’t need a residence,” Perlman said with a laugh.
A crowd favorite at every concert is his beautifully mournful piece from Stephen Spielberg’s 1993 Academy Award-winner Schindler’s List. Perlman said it’s “amazing” to him how many people love his violin performance in the movie’s theme.
“It was absolutely fantastic; I feel very, very lucky,” he says of the experience. “At the time I had no idea when I was asked to do something with the music score. I went on trust because I knew John Williams was a phenomenal, wonderful composer, and I knew Stephen Spielberg was an amazing director, so I went on that premise, but it was even more amazing."
“It’s funny that you mentioned this,” Perlman continues, “because I just came back from Asia on tour — they didn’t ask me to do anything specific except to play one thing: the theme from Schindler’s List. Can you imagine? I’m talking about Japan, China, Taiwan and so on — that’s what they want: ‘Please Mr. Perlman, could you play the theme from Schindler’s List?’ It happens everywhere. It’s become my thing- thing. I say, ‘But I did it last year,’ and they say, ‘so’!”
Despite the relentless requests, Perlman understands where his audience comes in their desire to hear a favorite and empathizes with concertgoers frustrated at artists who refuse to play their biggest hits.
“Oh, God!” he exclaims. "If I love something, I am going to want to hear it again.”
This article appears in Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2013.